This latest season of Game of Thrones is all about bringing all our beloved characters together—you know, before the White Walkers drive them apart again with boatloads of death. One of the most anticipated reunions of the season (if not the series) also ended up being one of its most heartbreaking. And now it’s been immortalized.

Advertisement

Artist Rayane Kacimi from Algeria has released an illustration called “That’s Not You,” depicting the failed reunion between Arya Stark and her direwolf Nymeria from the second episode of season seven, “Stormborn.”

The scene takes place as Arya makes her journey back to Winterfell, turning away from her vengeance quest in the process. She’s confronted by a fully grown Nymeria and her pack of wolves. We see Arya in a moment of vulnerability, begging Nymeria to return home with her, to make things how they used to be. Only Nymeria can’t go back home. She’s too different now. It reminds us that, deep down, Arya can’t truly go back home either.

Advertisement

The illustration bears some visual similarity to Robert Ball’s weekly Beautiful Death series, which portrays each episode’s biggest, craziest, or most-depressing fatalities. But it’s nice to see smaller, non-fatal moments from the series get the beautiful renderings they too deserve.

Kacimi told me he felt “the whole scene had some Princess Mononoke vibe to it,” which was what partly inspired him to create the illustration. This is only the second print he’s ever done (he made one last week for The Hound’s “Burying The Past” moment), and he plans on making a Game of Thrones illustration for every episode this season...and possibly into season eight.

Game of Thrones returns tonight with “The Queen’s Justice.” You can check out more of Kacimi’s work on Facebook.